Alive
by evelinaonline
Summary: Pixal could never work around the concept of nightmares. It's a good thing she doesn't have to deal with them alone. [Pixane, Zane x Pixal]


**This takes place a few days after the ending of Hunted. Hope you like it!**

* * *

Green eyes shot wide open, while an open heart beat fast.

Time stopped around the girl, until she was conscious enough to scan her surroundings. The sensation of oxygen entering her system comforted her, stabilizing her artificial heartbeat.

Pixal would never get used to having nightmares.

She couldn't understand how something that was clearly unreal scared her so much. She couldn't understand why she was afraid to close her eyes again, how a part of her told her something would attack her if she did.

Ever since Zane gave her his heart, Pixal had started to see the world through a new set of eyes. It was as if her calculations didn't matter anymore, because nothing could predict how she felt everytime she discovered something new.

Imperfections like that always confused her. Scared her, even. Thankfully, most of the times, Zane was there to explain her feelings to her. But after he disappeared, Pixal had to force herself to work through them alone.

It was hard to believe Zane was back.

All this time, he was just trapped away from home. He was still _alive_.

The word 'alive' confused Pixal too. Every definition she found felt wrong. She couldn't quite put her mind on it.

Pixal sat up on her bed, leaning against the wall. She needed to run over the events of her dream again. To tell herself it was not real.

The Mask of Vengeance? In Borg Industries.

The Sons of Garmadon? Gone.

Zane? Alive.

It was so simple. So simple to tell herself, 'It's not real', but she couldn't.

The Mask of Vengeance was the only Oni Mask that hadn't been destroyed. What if the Sons of Garmadon escaped Kryptarium Prison, broke into Borg Industries, and stole it? What if they hurt Mr. Borg? What if they hurt _Zane_ -

"I wasn't sure whether my ears deceited me, but it turns out you are indeed awake."

Pixal broke free of her thoughts only to see Zane approach her bed. She sighed in relief, relaxing her body.

"Mind if I join you?" Zane asked, and Pixal moved to the side, letting Zane sit next to her on the bed. Now they were both leaning against the wall, side by side.

"How did you-"

"I just had a feeling," Zane said. "It was like I sensed it."

Maybe it sounded creepy to someone else, but not to Pixal. The thought of Zane watching over her was comforting. She couldn't stand being alone anymore.

"What else did your insticts tell you?" Pixal asked.

"That you should be asleep," Zane said. "What happened?"

Hesitation. That's what Pixal felt.

"Hey," Zane reached out for Pixal's hand, and started rubbing it gently. "It's okay."

"I visualised something unreal," Pixal finally said. "It startled me."

"It's okay to say nightmare," Zane reassured her. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I… Have them too. But you already knew that."

Pixal nodded. Zane was right. He always turned to Pixal for comfort, so why was Pixal hesitating? Maybe she got so used to dealing with it alone that she-

"Everytime I close my eyes," Pixal interrupted her thoughts, looking up at Zane, "and think of the Sons of Garmadon, of Mr. E, of the Oni Masks… I look back to that day. To the day you were almost gone, to the day you were _actually_ gone… I don't understand."

"I'm not gone now though, am I?" Zane asked, returning the look. "I'm here."

"Yes, but what if-"

"Don't think about that," Zane stopped her. "Focus on the present. I am here now."

Pixal shook her head in disbelief. "I don't understand," she pulled her hand away.

Pixal really couldn't understand. If she knew her thoughts weren't real, why was she believing them? And if she wanted Zane to be there… Why was she isolating herself?

"Everytime," Zane led Pixal's hand on her chest, placing his on top of it, "your heart beats, mine does too."

Pixal's eyes drifted away to their hands.

"This is our heart now," Zane told her. "So as long as we hold onto our pieces, we have each other."

She couldn't understand.

"Pixal, look at me," Zane moved his hand from hers to gently lift her chin. "We're together now, okay? You don't have to be afraid anymore."

She couldn't understand how he could make her so happy.

"I love you," Pixal said, without thinking of it much.

Pixal noticed a small smile spread on Zane's lips, and she couldn't help but return it. The nindroid scooted closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you too," he whispered next to her ear, kissing the side of her head.

It was like Pixal finally knew what it meant to be alive.


End file.
